The hardest part about addictions is that they die hard. Really hard. Groan. Mine is Hello Kitty. Duh. No need to belabor the obvious. And when you live surrounded by almost all things Hello Kitty, playing its online game becomes an inevitable next step. You can’t help it. You are drawn to it, your addiction so severe that it gives you cold sweats and hot flashes (and no, I am not yet menopausal, heehee).

I was one of the original players invited by Sanriotown to participate in closed beta testing starting April 23 of last year. Being a gaming momma (as addicted to games on almost all platforms as Hello Kitty), I found the experience challenging, sometimes a little nerve-wracking (I do not recommend cooking and playing at the same time; you’re likely to burn your food), but a whole lot of fun.

On August 17 of this year, Hello Kitty Online, a joint venture between Sanrio Digital and Aeria Games, was officially launched in the Philippines by Level Up and by Sanrio and its licensing partner Great Gifts. In its Founder’s Beta Stage, HKO entices avid game players to try their hand on a fantasy world filled with the cutest of Sanrio characters.

With my friend Leira at the HKO Launch last August 20 at the Yaku Japanese Grill, Podium

HKO being a massively multiplayer online role-playing game or MMORPG (whew– that is a mouthful!), it works on the concept of social networking within a virtual world. By performing various quests and gaining rewards and skill points, one gets to increase one’s ability to maneuver within this world. Virtual interaction (through membership in guilds, or at its simplest, online chats) enables players to make friends and help each other out in tougher quests.

Okasaneko in HKO

It’s addictive, to say the least. While there is no direct competition with others playing the game, completing quests on your own and moving with ease within the HK world is a very strong reinforcing activity. Some of the quests are harder than others, and some are hard enough to make you want to pull your hair out, but the satisfaction of completion makes you want to do it all over again.

The game isn’t linear in nature and newcomers might end up walking in circles, looking for things to do next. I say, that’s actually the best way to learn. Walk around and talk to everyone you meet. You’ll eventually find some players who will help you, and others who will need your help.

I’ve been playing catch-up with myself in HKO. Having installed the game a tad late (mothers have lives, too, you know), I find myself trying to squeeze as many hours in a day to play the game. Between the household chores and my writing assignments, I stay up half the night just to put in a few hours into the game. It’s not easy: I wake up lightheaded and bleary-eyed most days. My lower back aches and my neck is often stiff. But, hey, I’m not complaining. Just a scroll around HKO’s world is enough to keep the smiles coming. 🙂